{"id":717,"date":"2012-08-04T23:06:00","date_gmt":"2012-08-04T23:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/cardinal-dinardo-prods-congress-to-address-contraception-mandate\/"},"modified":"2012-08-04T23:06:00","modified_gmt":"2012-08-04T23:06:00","slug":"cardinal-dinardo-prods-congress-to-address-contraception-mandate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2012\/08\/cardinal-dinardo-prods-congress-to-address-contraception-mandate\/","title":{"rendered":"Cardinal DiNardo prods Congress to address contraception mandate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Washington D.C., Aug 4, 2012 \/ 05:06 pm (CNA<\/a>).- Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston urged members of Congress to take swift action against the federal contraception mandate as it goes into effect for many employers around the country.<\/p>\n

\tThe cardinal emphasized that the U.S. bishops \u201ccontinue to advocate for life-affirming health care for all, especially for poor and vulnerable people,\u201d but added that they \u201cdo not see this policy as a step in that direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tIn an August 3 letter to members of Congress, Cardinal DiNardo, who chairs the Committee on Pro-Life Activities for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, spoke out against a federal mandate that requires employers to provide health insurance plans that cover contraception, sterilization and early abortion-inducing drugs, even if doing so violates their consciences.<\/p>\n

\tThe mandate\u2019s initial implementation began on August 1, and the regulation now applies to the majority of U.S. employers as soon as they begin or renew their health insurance plan. Non-profit employers that do not already provide this coverage due to religious convictions are given a \u201csafe harbor\u201d from the mandate until August 1, 2013.<\/p>\n

\tThe cardinal lamented that \u201cdespite widespread opposition to this coercive policy by religious organizations, lawmakers and the general public, Congress has still taken no action to counter it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tHe noted that the Senate tabled a \u201ccorrective proposal\u201d by a mere 51 votes, after false claims arose that it would prevent Americans from receiving the health care protections they have under existing laws.<\/p>\n

\tAnd while the House has incorporated a similar proposal into its Health and Human Services appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2013, it appears that \u201cthis legislation will not be considered until next March, months after the mandate has been imposed on most employers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\tInsisting that Congressional action is \u201coverdue,\u201d Cardinal DiNardo observed that the mandate also requires coverage of \u201ccounseling and education\u201d to promote the objectionable products to women and girls of childbearing age.<\/p>\n

\tAnd this coverage will be \u201cautomatically\u201d imposed on employees and their dependent teenage children, despite any religious or moral objections they might have, he said.<\/p>\n

\tFurthermore, with its \u201cgrudging and arbitrary\u201d view of religious freedom, the mandate completely lacks an exemption for non-religious businesses operated by \u201cdevout individuals and families\u201d whose moral convictions forbid them to offer the required coverage, the cardinal warned.<\/p>\n

\tEven though these employers have been offering health coverage that they find acceptable without any complaint from employees, they will now be penalized with a tax of $100 a day per employee for continuing this practice, he said.<\/p>\n

\tHe pointed to four pending lawsuits against the mandate, filed by Catholic business owners in Colorado, Michigan, Missouri and Pennsylvania, as well as Legatus, an association of approximately 2,000 Catholics who are committed to operating their companies in accordance with their faith.<\/p>\n

\tThe administration argues that these businesses are entirely secular and therefore have \u201cno claim on religious freedom,\u201d he said. \u201cIn effect, if an organization is \u2018for profit,\u2019 it is not allowed to be \u2018for\u2019 anything else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tThe cardinal welcomed a July 27 decision by federal district judge John Kane to grant a preliminary injunction blocking the mandate from being enforced against one Catholic-owned company that makes heating and air conditioning units in Colorado.<\/p>\n

\tHowever, he noted that this injunction is only temporary and does not apply to the dozens of other nonprofit organizations and for-profit employers that have filed lawsuits against the mandate. These plaintiffs will continue to press for the courts to protect their right to religious liberty.<\/p>\n

\tRecognizing that \u201ctimely and uniform protection of these rights cannot be expected from the current lengthy judicial process,\u201d Cardinal DiNardo urged lawmakers to address the issue without delay.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cThe fundamental importance of the religious freedom issue at stake demands a timely congressional response,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

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Washington D.C., Aug 4, 2012 \/ 05:06 pm (CNA).- Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston urged members of Congress to take swift action against the federal contraception mandate as it goes into effect for many employers around the country.<\/p>\n

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